1. Numbers you need to know about the Bills 53-man roster
The Bills cut down their roster to 53 players over the weekend. Buffalo brought back 35 players that were on the team in 2019 and added 18 new players to the roster.
Of the 35 players returning to the roster, 18 return to the offense, 15 return to the defense, and two specialists return. Seven of those returning offensive players are offensive lineman. With guard John Feliciano on injured reserve to start the season, only four of the five returning linemen will be on the active roster in week one.
Of the 18 new players on the team, eight are on offense, nine are on defense, and one is a specialist. Six of the seven of the Bills draft picks made the team, with seventh-rounder Dane Jackson being placed on the practice squad. Rookie receiver Isaiah Hodgins will start out his season on injured reserve. TE Reggie Gilliam was the only one of the Bills UDFA to make the team. Gilliam recently switched positions moving from fullback to tight end.
Returning offensive players: QB Matt Barkley, WR Cole Beasley, WR John Brown, QB Josh Allen, WR/KR Andre Roberts, WR Isaiah McKenzie, RB T.J. Yeldon, RB Devin Singletary, C Mitch Morse, OG Ike Boettger, OG Quinton Spain, OT Cody Ford, OT Ryan Bates, OT Dion Dawkins, OT Ty Nsekhe, TE Tyler Kroft, TE Lee Smith, TE Dawson Knox
Returning defensive players: S Jordan Poyer, S Micah Hyde, CB Taron Johnson, CB Tre'Davious White, S Dean Marlowe, CB Siran Neal, CB Levi Wallace, S Jaquan Johnson, LB Tremaine Edmunds, DE Jerry Hughes, LB Matt Milano, DT Ed Oliver, DE Darryl Johnson, DE Trent Murphy, DT Harrison Phillips
Returning specialists: P Corey Bojorquez, LS Reid Ferguson
New additions: K Tyler Bass, QB Jake Fromm, WR Gabriel Davis, WR Stefon Diggs, RB Zack Moss, RB Taiwan Jones, CB Josh Norman, LB Del'Shawn Phillips, LB Tyler Matakevich, LB A.J. Klein, LB Tyrel Dodson, DE A.J. Epenesa, OG Brian Winters, OG Darryl Williams, TE Reggie Gilliam, DT Quinton Jefferson, DT Vernon Butler, DE Mario Addison
Photos of the 2020 Buffalo Bills. Meet the 53 is presented by ConnectLife.
K Tyler Bass, No. 2.
Fun Fact: Favorite app outside social media? Spotify
QB Matt Barkley, No. 5.
Fun Fact: Hobbies/unique talents? Playing guitar
P Corey Bojorquez, No. 9.
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? The Eagles
QB Jake Fromm, No. 10.
Fun Fact: Favorite movie? Talladega Nights
WR Cole Beasley, No. 11
Fun Fact: Favorite movie? The Incredibles
WR Gabe Davis, No.13.
Fun Fact: Favorite movie? Remember the Titans
WR Stefon Diggs, No. 14.
Fun Fact: Majored in American Studies at Maryland
WR John Brown, No. 15.
Fun Fact: Unique talent? Back flips
QB Josh Allen, No. 17.
Fun Fact: Favorite TV show? Game of Thrones
WR Andre Roberts, No. 18
Fun Fact: Hobbies? Golf
WR Isaiah McKenzie, No.19
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? Sam Smith
RB Zack Moss, No. 20
Fun Fact: Favorite athlete growing up? Kobe Bryant
S Jordan Poyer, No. 21
Fun Fact: If he could have any superpower? Mind reading
RB T.J. Yeldon, No. 22
Fun Fact: Favorite late night snack? Smoothie
S Micah Hyde, No. 23
Fun Fact: Favorite food? Mexican
CB Taron Johnson, No. 24
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? Drake
RB Taiwan Jones, No. 25
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? J. Cole
RB Devin Singletary, No. 26
Fun Fact: Hobbies? Fishing
CB Tre'Davious White, No. 27
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? Lil Wayne
CB Josh Norman, No. 29
Fun Fact: Played football, basketball, baseball, and track in high school
S Dean Marlowe, No. 31
Fun Fact: Favorite book? "The Energy Bus" by Jon Gordon
CB Siran Neal, No. 33
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? Starlito
CB Levi Wallace, No. 39
Fun Fact: Favorite TV show? Martin
LB Del'Shawn Phillips, No. 43
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? Meek Mill
LB Tyler Matakevich, No. 44
Fun Fact: Passionate about animal rights and adoption
S Jaquan Johnson, No. 46
Fun Fact: Favorite movie? Rudy
LB Tremaine Edmunds, No. 49
Fun Fact: Favorite late night snack? Honey BBQ chips
LB Tyrel Dodson, No. 53
Fun Fact: Unique talents? Cooking
LB A.J. Klein, No. 54
Fun Fact: Majored in Kinesiology-Physical Therapy
DE Jerry Hughes, No. 55
Fun Fact: Hobbies? Playing baseball
DE AJ Epenesa, No. 57
Fun Fact: Favorite late night snack? Banana bread
LB Matt Milano, No. 58
Fun Fact: Favorite book? The Daily Stoic
C Mitch Morse, No. 60
Fun Fact: Favorite late night snack? Reese's Puffs
OG Brian Winters, No. 63
Fun Fact: Buffalo connections! Brian has family that has lived in the area for years
G Ike Boettger, No. 65
Fun Fact: Bucket list? Go to Australia
G Quinton Spain, No. 67
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? Lil Baby
LS Reid Ferguson, No. 69
Fun Fact: Favorite app outside social media? MLB app
T Cody Ford, No. 70
Fun Fact: Favorite late night snack? PB&J
OL Ryan Bates, No. 71
Fun Fact: Played basketball in high school
T Dion Dawkins, No. 73
Fun Fact: College degree was criminal justice
OL Daryl Williams, No. 75
Fun Fact: Majored in human relations at Oklahoma
T Ty Nsekhe, No. 77
Fun Fact: Favorite TV show? Fresh Prince
TE Tyler Kroft, No. 81
Fun Fact: Favorite food? Spaghetti
TE Lee Smith, No. 85
Fun Fact: Favorite movie? Braveheart
TE Reggie Gilliam, No. 41
Fun Fact: If he could have any superpower? Teleportation
TE Dawson Knox, No. 88
Fun Fact: Favorite artist? George Strait
DL Quinton Jefferson, No. 90
Fun Fact: If he could have any superpower? Flying
DT Ed Oliver, No. 91
Fun Fact: Unique talent? Riding horses
DE Darryl Johnson, No. 92
Fun Fact: Favorite movie? Inception
DE Trent Murphy, No. 93
Fun Fact: Favorite book? "The Island" by Gary Paulsen
DT Vernon Butler, No. 94
Fun Fact: Hobbies? Fishing, playing Call of Duty
DE Mario Addison, No. 97
Fun Fact: Favorite food? Lemon pepper wings and salmon
DT Harrison Phillips, No. 99
Fun Fact: Unique talent? Solve the Rubik's Cube
2. Cynthia Frelund makes this win-loss prediction for the Bills in 2020
NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund projected the win total for the Bills this season. She has Buffalo winning 9.4 games this season. While that is down slightly from the ten wins the team won last season, the Bills strength of schedule goes up from a 0.480 opponent win percentage to 0.525.
Buffalo Bills: 9.4 wins
In the last 12 games of the 2019 season quarterback, Josh Allen threw 13 touchdowns, to only two interceptions from inside the tackle box. Now the Bills offense adds receiver Stefon Diggs, who caught a league-leading 57.7% of deep targets as a Viking last season. Diggs, who's my WR25 in preseason fantasy rankings and John Brown my WR47, will be a problem for opposing defenses. Speaking of the defense, the Bills had the lowest passer rating allowed on deep attempts last season. This season this side of the ball drives Buffalo's postseason odds even higher.
3. Practice squads expanded for 2020
Another change that the NFL made this season because of COVID-19 was the size of the practice squad. Since 2014, the number of practice squad players on a team was at 10, but that changed to 12 this season because of the new CBA. Now because of COVID-19, the practice squad will now be increased to 16 players, but only for the 2020 season.
Buffalo Bills Practice Squad: OT Trey Adams, TE Nate Becker, OL Evan Boehm, DE Bryan Cox Jr, TE Jason Croom, CB Dane Jackson, CB Cam Lewis, DE Mike Love, OT Victor Salako, LB Andre Smith, S Josh Thomas, RB Christian Wade*, OT Brandon Walton, QB Davis Webb, RB Antonio Williams, WR Duke Williams, DT Justin Zimmer
*RB Christian Wade is a part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program and is a roster exemption. This is the second year he has been on the Bills practice squad and he cannot be elevated to the active roster at any point in the season.
